Means for crating or boxing bottles and for removing bottles from crates or boxes



Jan. 19, 1954 J, E BIRCH 2,666,562

MEANS FOR CRATING OR BOXING BOTTLES AND FOR REMOVING BOTTLES FROM CRATES OR BOXES Filed July 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Attorney Jan. 19, 1954 J. E. BIRCH 2,666,562

MEANS FOR CRATING ORBOXING BOTTLES AND FOR REMOVING BOTTLES FROM CRATES OR BOXES Filed July 26, 1951 5 Sheecs-Sheecl 2 y im M@ Attorney Jan. 19, 1954 -1 E, B|RC|| 2,666,562

MEANS FOR CRATING OR BOXING BOTTLES AND FOR REMOVING BOTTLES FROM CRATES OR BOXES Filed July 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Shea?l 5 Inventor ym *g-A. Attorney Patented Jan. 19, 1954 MEANS FOR CRATING OR BOXING BOTTLES AND FOR REMOVING BOTTLES FROM CRATES OR BOXES James Edwin Birch, Wolverhampton, England Application July 26, 1951, Serial No. 238,644

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for loading bottles, jars and like containers into crates or boxes and for the unloading of bottles and the like from crates or boxes, said loading and unloading operations being hereafter referred to by the generic term handling bottles.

According to this invention, a machine for handling bottles comprises lifting means for a number of spaced rows of bottles, means for spacing the lifted bottles correctly in the rows, and traversing means for the lifting means, whereby a number of spaced rows of bottles can be lifted and the lifted bottles spaced correctly in the rows, the lifting means traversed to a psition over a located crate or box and lowered so as to load the correctly spaced bottles into the crate or box and release them.

The machine may comprise an operating head adapted for traversing movement and incorporating a bottle engaging mechanism and means for raising and lowering the latter, the engaging mechanism comprising a plurality of bottle gripping elements which are movable laterally relative to each other from one disposition, in which they are adapted to hold a number of spaced rows of bottles, to a second disposition in which the bottles held thereby are spaced apart in the rows a distance corresponding to the spacing'of vcrate compartments.

The bottle engaging mechanism may be mounted upon a carriage which is traversable in guides provided on the frame of the machine, and the engaging mechanism mounted on the carriage may comprise a pluralityA of bottle gripping elements spaced apart in rows and adapted for relative lateral movement between said rows from one disposition, in which the elements can grip and lift a number of spaced rows of bottles in which adjacent bottles are touching in the rows, to another disposition resulting from said lateral movement, in which the individual bottles are spaced apart in the lifted rows.

The guides, or a portion of the framework of the machinewhich supports the guides may be adapted to be adjusted bodily in vertical direction upon the machine, so that the machine can be used with bottles of different dimensions in height.

The traversing of the carriage and the raising and lowering' of the bottle engaging mechanism may be effected by means of cylinders operated by pressure fluid.

The bottle engaging mechanism may comprise a number of elongated members arranged in close parallel relationship and mounted upon guides for lateral sliding movement relative to each other, each member being provided with a row of spaced bottle gripping elements and the relative member between said members may be effected by means of a cylinder operated by fluid pressure.

The gripping elements may be operated by fluid pressure, and the elongated members may be 'within the cup-like member so that it rests upon an internal annular shoulder and a piston being adapted to slide in the cup-like member above the ring, and to impart downward pressure upon the ring by means of compressed air or other fluid pressure so as to bulge it radially inwards and cause it to contract upon and grip the neck of a bottle.

A distributor valve may be provided, which controls the supply of pressure fluid to the cylinders and the gripping elements, said valve being adapted to effect repetitions of a cycle of operations of the cylinders and grip-ping elements, whereby the machine functions automatically.

An. embodiment of the invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the upper portion of a bottle handling machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the bottle engaging mechanism, taken on the line Z, 2, of

I Fig. 1.

Fig.4 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bottle engaging mechanism, to an enlarged scale and partly in section.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views of the two main parts of a valve for controlling the operations of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the bottle handlingmachine shown in Fig. l

and is a continuation thereof.'

Referring to Figs. l to 3 of the drawings, the framework of the machine comprises four main supporting pillars, two of which can be seen at IB in Fig. 1, which carry between them a hori zontal rectangular frame II. rlhis frame II is the support for an operating head consisting of a carriage I2 upon which is mounted a bottle engaging mechanism indicated generally at A in Fig. 1, and of which Fig. 2 is a plan view. The general function of the operating head is to lift a crate-load of bottles I3 from an endless conveyor belt I4, and insert them' irr a-locatedr crate I5 which is on conveyor chains t6 travelling at right angles to the conveyor belt I4.

The bottles I3, after leaving a filling mechanism (not shown) are carried. along, by the wide conveyor belt I4 until, near the tail-drum III, they encounter a marshalling framework which consists of seven parallel partitioning arms I8 extending from a stop plate I'9'- above the upper surface of the conveyor belt I4 and in lineth'erewith, so that as the bottles enter this marshalling framework they sort themselves into- .six par'- allel rows with the bottles touching in the rows, but with the distance between. the rows `corresponding to the spacing of cra-te compartments.

Thev carriage I2 of the operating head runs on wheels 2Bv in theframe II which isof channelsection so that the flanges provide horizontal guides for the wheels, and the carriage is traversed in its guides by means of adouble acting fluid pressure cylinder 2l p'ivotally mounted at 22 in a superstructure 23 secured to the frame II, the piston rod 24- being pivotally secured to a lug '25 on the carriage I2 and the arrangement being such that the operating head can be traversed from the position shown in full lines, i. e. above the marshalled bottles I3, to the position shown in chain lines, at the right in Fig.- 6, i. e. above the conveyor chains IB- and a positioned crate I5, and vice versa.

The bottle engaging mechanism A is mounted upon` the carriage I2 by means of two vertical rods 25 which are securedy to the said lifting mechanism at their lower ends, and are slidable in `bearing holes 21 in the carriage I2. A horizontal cross-bar 28 connectsthe two rods 26 below the carriage I2, and to the centre of this cross-bar is securedv the outer end of the piston rod 29 of a fluid pressure cylinder A30 mounted in an inverted vertical position in the centre of the carriage I2, this cylinder 30 effecting the raising and lowering movementsof the engaging mechanism A. An adjustable stopVV nut 3|' is provided upon each rod 26, and the lowest possible position of the engaging mechanism vis determined by the nuts 3I encountering the carria-ge I2.

A pipe-line bulkhead 32 is mounted upon the frame II, and from this bulkhead, flexible conduits 33, 34 supply the respective ends of the cylinder 2|, and a further flexible conduit, a portion of each end of which is shown'at 3'5, connects the bottom of the cylinder 30 with the bulkhead 32. The cylinder 3l) may be doubleacting, particularly if the pressure fluid is hydraulic, and in this casea further. exible conduit 36 will connectthe top of. the cylinder 30 with the bulkhead 32, but if the systemis pneumatic the conduit 36 will be open to atmosphere, as the mechanismA A will lower with sufhcient speed under its own weight and will only require to be raised by the compressedfair.

The engaging mechanism comprises fivel elongated rectangular membersl which; are each of hollow construction, and to the interior of each pressure fluid is supply by. flexible conduits v38 from a common supply tube V39 mounted upon one of the rods 26, the tube y'3S-being supplied Fig. 2,v i. e. in contact with each other.

by a single flexible conduit 40, the upper end of which is secured by unions to the carriage II. and is in turn connected by a further flexible conduit 4I with the supply bulkhead 32.

The central rectangular member or manifold 31 is secured to the bottom of the rods 25, and at each end thereof is secured a horizontal guide rod142, upon which guide rods the remaining four manifolds 31 are slidable laterally, the two outer ones against the action of springs 43, and the two inner ones against the action of tension springs 44,V said springs 43 and 44 tending to retain the manifoldsV 31' in their normal position, shown in Additional guides may be provided, as shown in Fig. 2 consistingofa bracket 45 secured near each end of the central manifold 31, each bracket carrying a horizontal guide rod 45 with which furtherbrackets 41 on the remaining manifolds are slidably engaged. The manifolds 31 are arranged-.transversely to the direction of traverse, and each manifold carries a rov.7 of six bottle gripping elements 45 arranged in spaced relationshi-p in the rows to correspond. with the spacing between the marshalled rows of bottles i3, and in the normal touching position of the manifolds. the distance between the rows of elements 48. corresponds with the spacing of the necks of touching bottles,A as can be seen most readily in Fig. 1, inr which the thirty bottle gripping elements 45 are each vertically above a bottle r3, so that, when the engaging mechanism lowers, each element 48 will engage a bottle.

Each element 48 details of which are shown in Fig. 3, comprises an inverted cup-like member secured to the underside of a manifold 31 and the mouth of each member contains a pressfittedV flared Phosphor-bronze insert 49 for guiding the neckof a bottle I3 into the said member.

The insert 49v also provides an internal annular shoulder 5I) in the bore of the member 45, and resting on this shoulder 5!! is a rubberr ring 5I which is of Ichannel or U-shape in cross-section with the base forming the inner periphery of the ring. Above the ring 5I and resting thereon is al metal sleeve- 52 which is slidable in the bore of the member 48, and above the sleeve is a flat disc 53 with a centralV hole 54, whilst on top of the disc' is a floating piston consisting of aV metal body portion 55 and piston washer 56. The bore of the member 48 above the piston washer 55 is in direct communication with the hollow interior ofthe manifold 31 through the central opening 51, so that pressure fluid admitted to the said; manifold forces the piston downwardly, causing the ring 5I'to be compressed so that it bulges radially inwards and contracts upon the neck of the bottle i3 to grip the latter.

The' gripping elements, in descending upon the vbottles I3'l may have air trapped in the cuplike portions which enclose the bottle necks, and provision is made to allow the escape of this trapped air via the central opening 54 in the disc 53 and a hole 53V in thewall of the member 43, the projection on the underside of the piston body 55 having a lateral saw cut on its underside so that itV does not seal the hole 54.

When the fluid pressure upon the piston 55 is released, the resiliency of the ring 5I returns. the assembly (comprising sleeve 52, disc 53' andv the piston) upwardly, and a bottle gripped by the ring 5'I- is released.

After lifting a load of spaced rows of touching bottles I3, before they can be inserted in a crate the bottles must be spaced apart in the respective rows, and this ise'ifected by moving the manifolds laterally relative to eachv other `through appropriate distances upon the guide rods d2 and 46, by means ofa fluid pressure cylinder 5S mounted upon the central manifold 31. The cylinder 59 houses two opposite acting pistons 6e, the piston rod of each of which consists of an vinner end portion el of greater` diameter than anA outer end portion e2, so providing an annular shoulder 63 on each piston rod. Centrally positioned upon l each of the movable manifolds 31 is secured an upstanding bracket 6d provided with an eye 65 within which the smaller diameter portion 62 of a piston rod is slidable. The cuter end of the portion 62 of each piston rod isfthreaded and carries a nut 6B which is engaged behind the bracket B of each outer manifold at all times. In the normal touchingr position of the manifolds, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 3, there is a gap between the shoulders 63 on the piston rod and the bracket 64 on the inner manifolds i Si', and the arrangement is such that as the .pistons Se are moved outwardly by' pressure fluid, ythe nuts 65 engaging the brackets Bxl on the outer manifolds move the latter along their guide Xrods.

. ments.

Pressure fluid `is supplied to the centre of theA cylinder 5E by a exible conduit 67 connected by a union to the carriage l2, and in turn connectedl by a further flexible conduit 68 with'the bulkhead 32.

Commencing with the position of the engaging mechanism A as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the operation of the machine, operated pneumatically, is as follows:

rlhe lifting mechanism descends under its own weight as compressed air supplyl to the bottom of the cylinder 33 is cut off, and the gripping elements d8 each engage the neck of one of the marshalled bottles i3, the bottles themselves stopping the descent of the lifting mechanism. Compressed air supplied to the manifolds''l then each other at any time once the bottles have been lifted clear of the arms l 8 of the marshalling frame, e.' g. during the traverse, or whilst the engaging mechanism is descending and approaching the positioned crate, but it is Ypreferred that this movement of the manifolds is delayed until the lower ends of the bottles are withinV the connes of the crate l5 but above the partitions therein, indicated at 69 in Fig. 6. When the manifolds 3l move to the position shown in chain lines in Fig. 6 and in Fig. 3, the bottles areall correctly spaced relative to each other, and each enters a compartment ofthe located crate I5, whereupon pressure air is cut off from the manifolds, the rings 5l release the bottles, and the latter drop a short distance into the crate I5.

The engaging mechanism is then raised fully as compressed air is re-admitted to the bottom of the cylinder 3l). Air pressure is then cut oi f from the cylinder 59 and the manifolds are recauses the rings el of the grippnig elements to be contracted upon the bottle necks and as compressed air is again admitted to the bottom'of the cylinder 3e, the mechanism A is raised together with the gripped crate-load of bottles I3. The whole operating head is then traversed, to

vthe right in Fig. 1, as compressed air is admitted to the appropriate end of the cylinder 2 l, the carriage i2 of the operating head running along the guides in the frame Il until the position of the piston and carriage indicatedinchain lines in Fig. 6 is reached, andthe engaging mechanism A is vertically above the crate I5. The crate which is one of a continuous line upon the conveyor chains, will be held stationary in predetermined loading position by any suitable mechanism, for the necessary period 'of time, a suitable mechanism for this purpose being described in our copending British patent application No. 29,539 of 1950.

As soon as the traversing is completed, the pressure air to the bottom of the cylinder is cut off and the engaging mechanism descends. Pressure air may be supplied to the cylinder 59 to move the manifolds 31 laterally relative-to turned to their normal touching position by the springs A3 and Ml, and the cylinder 2l is supplied with compressed air to traverse and return the whole operating-head back to the position lshown in full lines in Fig. 1. As soon as one load of bottles has been raised and the operating head traversed, the conveyor if! ensures that they are replaced, in the marshalling frame, ready for the cycle of operations to be repeated, and as soon as one crate is lled it will be aland another empty crate will beheld in posi- `vtion ready to be loaded, l

VIn order that the` machine may be used for handling bottles of diiferent dimensions in height, the four main pillars l are screw- 'threaded at le at their lower ends, and the screwthreaded portion of each pillar passes through an internally threaded sleeve li, whichv sleeves are rotatably mounted in the sidefrarnes 72 of the chain-conveyor i6. Each sleeve 'H has a chain sprocket 72 secured at its lower end, and over these four sprockets, two of which are seen in Fig. 6,`pa'sses an endless chain T3. One 'of the sleeves li also has a bevel gear l secured thereto, which meshes with a further bevel gear 15 rotatable by means of a hand wheel T6, and thus, by rotating the hand wheel, all the sleeves 'il can be rotated together and equally so that all the pillars i@ and the frame li carried thereby will be raised or lowered bodily.

The machine may be adapted for continuous automatic operationvby means of a rotary distributor valve indicated diagraminatically at 'Il' in Fig. 6, and in more detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 6, air delivery conduits from the body of the valve l? connect Via the bulkhead 32 with the corresponding conduits 33, 34, 35, dl, 5S supplying the various cylinders and manifolds Si, the function of the valve being to Supply pressure air to the appropriate conduits in correct sequencev and timing, so as to operate the machine in repetitions of the cycle previously described.

The appropriate conduits connecting the bulkhead 32 with the body of the valve il are referenced to correspond with the conduits connecting the bulkhead 32 with the various cylinders and manifolds 3l, whilst a conduit Til represents acommon supply conduitl bringing compressed air to the valve il for distribution from a compressor or storage tank (not shown).

Referring to Figs. 4. and 5, the valve consists of a stationary portion-inA the form of a dat disc operate the gripping elements 48.

1,9, and a rotatable portion 80,-. also-in" ithev` form ofA a hat disc adapted; fori face-"toefaceengagementwith the stationary. disc' 19. :A centraLlocoating pin 8l `is provided on the stationary disc '19, and a central` socket 82 is. provided inthe rotatable disc Sii for receiving the `pin so that vthe said disc Si) rotates upon the pini. 8l. A central shaft 83 on the outer facelof thediscll is-used for driving the latter in rotation, as by means of an electric motor indicated at 84 in Fig. 6.

'I'he face of the disc' which engages theiace of the disc 'i9 is provided with a 'circulargroove with which connects a 'radial'groovet .The common supply conduit `'i3 terminates in a port El' in the face of the disc 1S, which port coincides with the circular. groove 85 in the rotatable.' disc Si) so that 'pressure air is delivered to the grooves 85 and 86 from the` source-ofv supply at all times,

- the groovett distributing the. air to aV number of arcuate grooves in the ace. of the'disc 'I9 duru ing rotation of thev discf 8c. :The outermost groove dit connects by a port. witlr the conduit 68 ultimately supplyingA the cylinderl for moving the manifolds 3l. The. groovel Silhas a port Si connecting with the conduity 4I which ultimateiy supplies the manifolds?? with airto The groove 92 has a port d3 leading to conduit 35 supplying air to the bottomoi' the cylinderfwhich raises the engaging mechanism, and .since this,l cylinder operates to lift twice in one cycle, Vthereis a similar groove 94 with port 95, also shown as connecting with conduit 3.5. The groove, witha port 9i leading to conduit 3d, supplies oneend of the cylinder 2l for traversing the operating head in one direction, whilst asimilar groove SS withv a port 535i suppiies the other endof the saine cylinder 2l via conduit 33 for traversing the operating head in the other direction.

With the disc 8S, in the. position shown in Fig. 4, superimposed upon the stationary disc shown in Fig. 5, and the disc 3d rotating in the direction of the arrow in Fig. fi, it will be seen that the groove lSe is supplying groove'landfconduit 3l! so that the cylinder 2| has its piston rod held eX- tended as shown in Fig. l, andfat the same .time an exhaust port itil in the disc 8i! isin communication with the groove and conduit33 connected with the other end of the cylinder 2l. The bottle engaging mechanism will be down under its own weight with the grippingV elements in engagement with aload oi bottles, and groove Se having reached groove e9, the rings l will have just contracted to Vgrip the Vbottle necks. The groove it next reaches groove 94- so that conduit supplies compressed air to the cylinder 3c and the engaging mechanism is raised and held in the raised position. -The groove 98 is then reached, groove e@ vhaving been left by the groove 85 and the exhaust portami) having reached groove so that pressureI air is now supplied to conduit whilst conduit 34 isv open to eX- f groovel 36.V is'ithe groove 432,` which'.I supplies =.air

vpviatheconduit 35 tothe cylinderlto. again rraise the bottle engagingA head, air exhausting from the top of the cylinder 3! through the port The groove e8 is left by the groove St, and 'the exhaust port Ico reaches groove 98 after leaving groove 96, so that pressure air is supplied 1 to conduit S4 whilst'conduit 33 is opened to atload of bottles, andthe cyclev just described repeats.

The same distributor valve 'Il may be utilised tooperate a crate stop and holdingV mechanism in correctly :timed sequence, and whilst inthe above-description, which isl by way. of example only, the air is supplied directly from the valve 'to the various. cylinders, it will be appreciated that the valve 'il may be adapted to control the operation of other valves, which in turnr control Y direct supply ofl pressure iiuid toy the operative parts oi the machine.

.The bottle engaging mechanism described. and shownhandles thirty bottles, in ve rows of six .in a row, but with suitable modifications bottle engaging mechanismsV may `be constructed to handle adiferent number oi bottles, say twentyfour in four rows of six in a row, within the scope of this invention.

The operation of loading bottles into crates .has been particularly described, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the'art that with but slight modification, the machine constructed according to this invention can' beused in reverse for..unloading bottles tromk crates, and-when so ,used the manifolds 3l can beheld in their expanded position as shownfinf'Fig. 3, since there is4 no. necessity rto bring the rows of bottles into touching relationship in the vrows before depositing them upon a conveyor belt.

Having. fully described my invention, what I Yclaim .and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine `for handling bottles, the combination olf-lifting means for a number of spaced rowsY of bottlesVspacing means incorporated in saidlifting means for. spacing-lifted bottlesY apart in' the, rows, and conveying means for said lifting haust and the whole operating :headis traversed into position above the located crate. As the groove 8E leaves the groove 'Sli Athe engaging mechanism descends under its own weight, v.and when the next groove 38 is reached by the groove S6 the manifolds are moved laterally relative to each other as airis supplied to themanifolds 37 through the conduits 63 and 61. Immediately thereafter the groove SS leaves the groove 99 and an exhaust port lill reaches the said groove 9G, so that the manifolds 3l are exhausted. and

the rings 5I release the bottlesv which drop-into "the crate. The nextgroove to be reached by theV means, whereby. a number of spaced rows of bottles can be. lifted, the lifted bottles-spaced apart in the rows, and the lifting means traversed ,between predeterminedbottle pickfup and bottle discharge positions for loading the spaced bottles into a crate.

2.V In a machine orhandling bottles, the ccmbination of an operating head, means-to convey said operating head, a` bottle-engagingV mecha- Anism incorporatedin said' head, and meansV for "raising and lowering the bottle-engaging mechanism, said bottle. engaging mechanism comprising a plurality of bottle gripping elements, means for moving. saidbottleA gripping elements apart relativey to each other from one disposition, in vwhich they are adapted to hold a number of spaced lines of bottlesyhaving the spacing be- .tween the linesoorresponding tothe spacing of crate compartments, to a secondA disposition, in

v.vvhiclfr therbottles held thereby areyspaced apart inthe lines a-distance correspondingl to the spacing of crateI compartments.

3. In a machine for handling bottles, the combination of a carriage, Aguides upon which said carriage is traversable, means to convey said carriage, a bottle-engaging mechanism and means for'eiecting raising andlowering movements of said engaging mechanism both mounted upon said carriage, said bottle engaging mechanism comprising a plurality of bottle gripping elements arranged in parallel rows and spaced apart in the rows, means for moving said rows bodily relative to each other in horizontal direction transverse to the lengths of the rows, whereby the disposition of said elements can be altered from an initial disposition in which the elements are disposed for gripping a number of spaced lines of bottles which are touching in the lines, the spacing between the lines corresponding with the spacing of crate compartments, to a second disposition, resulting from said lateral transverse movement of the rows of elements, in which the individual gripped bottles are spaced apart in the lines to correspond with the spacing of crate compartments.

4. In a machine for handling bottles, the combination of a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is traversable, means to convey 'said carriage upon the guides between predetermined bottle pick-up and bottle-discharge positions, a bottle engaging mechanism and means for effecting raising and lowering movements thereof both mounted upon said carriage, saidbottle engaging mechanism comprising a number of parallel elongated members, horizontal guides disposed transversely to the elongated members upon which said members are slidable relative to each other, spring means urging said elongated members into close parallel relationship with each other, means for moving said members apart upon their guides into equally spaced relationship, a plurality of bottle gripping elements mounted upon said elongated members and arranged in parallel rows, one row upon each elongated member, with the elements equally spaced apart in the rows and disposed in rows transverse to the lengths of the elongated members.l

5. In a machine for handling bottles, ther combination of a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is traversable, means to convey said carriage upon the guides between predetermined bottle pick-up and bottle-discharge positions, means for adjusting said guides bodily in vertical direction, a bottle-engaging mechanism mounted for raising and lowering movements upon said carriage and means for eecting said raising and lowering movements, said bottle engaging mechanism comprising a number of parallel elongated members, horizontal guides disposed transversely to the elongated members upon which said members are movable relative to each other, spring means urging said elongated members into close parallel relationship with each other, means for moving said elongated members apart upon their guides into equallyv spaced relationship, a row of bottle gripping elements mounted upon each elongated member with the Ielements equally spaced apart in the rows and disposed in rows transverse to the lengths of the elongated members.

6. Ina machine for handling bottles, the combination of a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is'traversable, pressure iiuid operated means for conveying said carriage upon said guides between pre-determined bottle pick-up and bottle discharge positions, a bottle-engaging mechanism mounted for raising and lowering movements upon said carriage and pressure :duid

operated means for effecting raising and lowering movements of said mechanism, said bottleengaging mechanism comprising a number of hollow elongated pressure fluid manifolds, horizontal guides upon which said manifolds are mounted in parallel relationship for movement relative to each other in direction at right angles to their length, spring means urging said manifolds into close parallel relationship with each other, pressure fluid operated means for moving said manifolds apart upon their guides into equally spaced relationship, a row of pressure fluid operated bottle gripping elements mounted upon each manifold, with the elements equally spaced apart in the rows and disposed in rows transverse to the lengths of the manifolds.

7. In a machine for handling bottles, the combination of a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is traversable, pressure fluid operated means Yfor conveying said carriage upon said guides, a screw-jack mechanism for adjusting said guides vbodily in the vertical direction, a bottle-engaging mechanism mounted for raising and lowering movements upon said carriage and pressure fluid operated means for effecting raising and lowering movements of said mechanism, said bottle-engaging mechanism comprising a number of hollow elongated pressure fluid manifolds, horizontal guides upon which said manifolds are mounted in parallel relationship for movement relative to each other in direction at right angles to their length, spring means urging said manifolds into close parallel relationship with each other, pressure fluid operated Vmeans for moving said manifolds apart upon their guides into equally spaced relationship, a row of pressure fluid operated gripping elements mounted upon each manifold for operation by pressure nuid therein, said elements being equally spaced apart in the rows and disposed in rows transverse to the lengths of the manifolds.

8. In a machine for handling bottles, a bottle engaging mechanism comprising in combination a number of elongated members, guides upon which said members are mounted in parallel relationship for relative movement in direction at right angles to their length, spring `means urging said elongated members into close parallel relationship with each other, a plurality of rows of bottle gripping elements mounted in parallel relationship one row upon each of said elongated members, corresponding elements in the various rows being in line at right angles to said members, the spacing of said elements being such that bottles gripped thereby are disposed initially in a number of equally spaced parallel lines of touching bottles with the spacing between adjacent lines of bottles corresponding with the spacing of crate compartments, means for moving said elongated members apart relative to each other so as to space apart said touching bottles in the lines, with the spacing between adjacent bottles corresponding with the spacing of crate compartments.

9. In a machine for handling bottles, a bottle engaging mechanism comprising in combination a number of elongated hollow pressure uid manifolds, guides upon which said manifolds are mounted in parallel relationship for relative movement in direction at right angles to their length, spring means urging said manifolds into close parallel relationship with each other, a plurality of rows of pressureviiuid operated bottle gripping elements mounted in parallel relationship one row upon each of said manifolds, corresponding elements in the various frowsbeing in line at right Vangles to said manifolds, the :spacing equally spaced parallel lines of touching bottles with the spacing between adjacent lines .of bottles corresponding with the spacingV of crate compartments, a pressure fluid cylinder rfor moving said manifolds apart relative to each other so as to space apart said touching lloottles in the lines, with the spacing between adjacent bottles corresponding with the spacing of .crate compartxnents.

10. A machine for handling bottles, comprising in combination a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is traversable, pressure fluid operated means for conveying said carriage upon said guides between bottle pick-up and. bottle discharge positions, a bottle `engaging mechanism mounted for raising and lowering movements upon said carriageand pressure fluid operated means for effecting raising and lowering movements of said mechanism, said bottle` engaging mechanism comprising a number of hollow elongated pressure uid manifolds, horizontal guides upon which said manifolds are mounted in parallel relationship for movement relative to each other in direction Aat right angles to their length, spring means urging said manifolds into close parallel relationship with each other, pressure fluid operated means for moving said manifolds apart upon their guides into equally spaced relationship, a row of pressure fluid operated bottle gripping elements mounted upon each manifold with the elements .equally spaced apart in the rows and disposed in ,rows transverse to the lengths of the manifolds, and distribution valve means controlling supply of pressure fluid to said pressure uid operated means, pressure fluid manifolds and gripping elements for operation thereof in sequence and timed relationship.

l1. A machine for handling bottles, comprising in combination, a carriage, guides upon which said carriage is traversable, a `pressure iiuid cylinder for conveying said carriage upon said guides between bottle pick-up and bottle discharge positions, a bottle-engaging mechanism mounted for raising and lowering movements upon said carriage and a further fluid pressure cylinder mounted upon said carriage for effecting raising randlowering movements `of :said `mechanism, said ybottle engaging mechanism comprising Va number of hollow elongated lpressure fluid manifolds, horizontal guides disposed parallel with the line of traverse of the ,carriage upon which `guides Said manifolds are mounted in close parallel relationship for movement relative to each other `in direction at right .angles to their length, a plurality of pressure iuid operated bott-le gripping elements mounted in parallel rows arranged at right `angles to the line of traverse vof the carriage and each row .upon a manifold` with spaced relationship between adjacent yelements in the rows corresponding to the spacing of crate compartments, a further pressure fluid cylinder for moving said manifolds apart upon their guides into equally spaced relationship in which the spacing between vthe adjacent row-sy of elements corresponds with the spacing of crate compartments, whereby a number of bottles arranged in spaced lines at the pick-up position can be gripped by the gripping elements, lifted, traversed to the `discharge position and lowered, the manifolds can be moved relative to each other to cause the spacing between adjacent bottles to correspond with the spacing of crate compartments, and the bottles released into the compartments of a located crate vat the discharge position, the manifolds returned to close parallel relationship, the engaging `mechanism raised and traversed back to the pick-up position.

l2. A machine according to claim 1l, and incorporating a rotary Vdistributor Valve controlling supply of pressure fluid to said pressure fluid cylinders, manifolds and gripping elements, for effecting repetitions of the cycle of operations of the cyli-nders and `gripping elements land automatic functioning ofthe machine.

JAMES EDWIN BIRCH.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,416 Kane -et al Oct. 20, 1931 1,898,393 Rickcrs Feb. 21, 1933 2,007,064 Shipley July 2, 1935 2,358,447 Creamer Sept. 19, 1944 2,431,265 Madsen et al Nov. 18, 1947 

